Man on the ark, forced to become king

Marquis Pingchong rarely appeared in the court, but when he wanted to express his opinion, even the emperor had to give him some leeway. Most importantly... Wei Yanwu believed that he had a good relationship with Zuo Xuanliao. If he could bring Zuo Le to Longmen, then this crisis would be mostly resolved.

There was also Lin Qingyan, a member of the Qilin clan who held the official position of Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. At first, Wei Yanwu only wanted to lock her up first and then figure out a way to deal with her, so as not to leak the news for the time being. The girl was quite sensible. Although she was a bit impulsive in attacking the Imperial Guard's defense line, she calmed down later and did not do anything she should not have done.

But no one expected Zuo Le to be so bold as to report the Golden Tree matter without verification, based solely on his own opinion. This stirred up a hornet's nest, causing the situation to deteriorate rapidly, leaving Longmen and the imperial court with no room for maneuver.

Left with no other choice, Wei Yanwu had to personally write a letter to report the matter and mention Lin Qingyan in the meantime.

As far as he knew, the old Celestial Master, who had always disliked meddling in court affairs, doted on Lin Qingyan, his last disciple, and might even personally make a trip to Longmen, which would make things much easier.

Although he held a high position in the imperial court, the Old Celestial Master was different from those scheming officials. He was a rather easygoing person, and upright and incorruptible. He would never use his position for personal gain or abuse his power for private purposes in the matter of the Golden Tree.

If either he or Zuo Xuanliao were to arrive, then the crisis at Longmen could be alleviated.

Otherwise... then this hurdle will be difficult to overcome.

Lungmen has risen rapidly, transforming from an unknown border town into a commercial capital and economic hub in just a few decades. Lungmen currency is widely used on the mainland, making it a veritable trade hub. How could anyone not be envious of the huge profits involved?

Not only do they exist, but there are many!

Among the high-ranking officials, noble families, and imperial relatives in the imperial court, who wouldn't want to devour the fat piece of Longmen?

It's just that Wei Yanwu did too well in the past, leaving them no leverage to use against him, so they could only stare helplessly, unable to do anything.

But with the golden tree as an excuse... even if the ministers don't have any designs on it, the one on the dragon throne will probably make a move, right?

Wei Yanwu knew his younger brother all too well. He had the ability to maintain the status quo but not to expand it. He was extremely petty, vindictive, and extremely jealous. If he were given the opportunity, Longmen would definitely not have an easy time.

Longmen belongs to the Great Yan Dynasty. With a single imperial edict, the emperor can legally appoint or dismiss the governor of Longmen.

Over the years, Wei Yanwu has witnessed many of the emperor's underhanded tactics. Even when he is in the wrong, he will still try to stir things up. Now that he is in the right, he will definitely be aggressive!

At that time, the future of Longmen will not be optimistic.

"Since it's beneficial, then let's continue as before."

Golden light swirled and danced, and two crystal-clear drops of dew fell from the branches of the golden tree, landing precisely in a white porcelain cup on the table. They gently lifted the golden leaves clinging to the bottom of the cup, shimmering and rippling with light.

Lin Lu pushed a glass to Wei Yanwu, picked up another glass for herself, took a small sip, and calmly shook her head, seemingly not worried at all.

"As the saying goes, it's easier to avoid the King of Hell than to deal with his underlings. I hope that the one who comes to Longmen this time is someone who can make decisions. It would be troublesome if it were some unknown nobody who would cause trouble."

"That's true."

As the tea entered his mouth, its fragrance lingered on his lips and teeth. The rich vitality flowed into his body, and Wei Yanwu immediately felt comfortable all over. His depressed thoughts were also relieved, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

He has a deep understanding of this kind of thing.

Often, it is easier to get in touch with powerful figures who have extensive connections and hold high positions, because they are expected to be reasonable and at least outwardly abide by the rules.

But those henchmen who are pushed out are different. They often act recklessly and will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. As long as they can please their masters, they will do anything. The key is that killing them will not only be useless, but will also cause trouble for the real mastermind and give them a handle to use against you.

They can't accomplish anything significant; they just constantly annoy you, using every trick in the book to harass you.

"Lord Wei, if you ask me, since things have come to this point, there's no way to hide it anymore. We might as well make things even bigger."

Seeing Wei Yanwu looking worried, Lin Lu thought for a moment and offered her opinion.

For Golden Tree, Lungmen is quite important. It is a world-renowned commercial capital, and there is no other like it in the entire world. With the support of Lungmen, it is very convenient to do anything. If Golden Tree wants to further expand its influence in the future, it will be indispensable to the support of Lungmen.

Moreover, a person cannot stand without integrity. Although Mr. Lin is ruthless towards his enemies, he has never had the habit of betraying his allies.

He always keeps his word and acts decisively. As long as someone is a friend, he will do everything in his power to help them. As long as Wei Yanwu does not betray Golden Tree, even if this matter is likely to lead to conflict with Yan Kingdom and is extremely risky, he will not give up.

Not to mention that this whole thing was caused by the Golden Tree in the first place. If the Golden Tree planted in Longmen hadn't suddenly expanded, Longmen would still be living a peaceful and prosperous life.

You can't let your allies take the blame for the trouble you caused.

In any case, Lungmen cannot bear this alone.

However, as someone who knows their own situation, Lin Lu knew very well that she was not a smart person and that she was no match for politicians who were full of malice.

Therefore, the advice he can give is usually simple and straightforward.

He may not have any brilliant schemes, but he's good at stirring up trouble!

Since we're gambling either way, let's escalate things to the point where the Yan Kingdom's court has no choice but to send in a truly influential figure!

In this case, the Golden Tree, with its several high-end combat personnel, is fully qualified to negotiate with the Yan Kingdom.

The matter of Longmen is both a big deal and a small deal; in the end, it all comes down to the words of those in power.

Presumably, Yan Kingdom wouldn't want to create a troublesome enemy for nothing by doing something like this.

This is a perfectly legitimate and open strategy. There are definitely risks involved, but if done well, Longmen will not only be free of risk, but will also be able to profit from it.

Since we've already gambled, why bet even bigger?

"You mean..."

“That’s right. I’ll step in and create a situation that Yan Kingdom has no choice but to take seriously. Then, the people who come to talk to you won’t be small fry. And then, everything can be discussed, right?”

"Indeed, anything that can be discussed is worth discussing."

Wei Yanwu wholeheartedly agreed with this. He knew the temperaments of those people in the court all too well. As long as things were discussed on the table, there was usually nothing serious going on.

Lin Lu's idea is risky, but the potential rewards are equally high. If handled well, Longmen might be able to use this opportunity to further enhance its status in Yan Kingdom.

Moreover... the biggest risk has already been proactively taken over.

Wei Yanwu understood the subtext of those words perfectly.

"I will take the lead" means that Lin Lu intends to use the name of the Golden Tree to divert Yan Kingdom's attention away from Longmen. While this may seem like she is trying to tie Longmen to the Golden Tree's cause, it does indeed shift Yan Kingdom's target to her.

Whether it's good or bad, it's too early to say.

The question now is: to gamble, or not to gamble?

After thinking for a long time, Wei Yanwu gritted his teeth, nodded heavily, and said in a deep voice, "Okay, let's do it this way!"

Lin Lu has already gone all out, so what else does he have to hesitate about?

In any case, the imperial court will definitely use this as an excuse to make trouble. Giving in and admitting defeat will not be good either. On the contrary, it will offend powerful allies who are willing to support them.

To be indecisive and waver is the most unwise thing to do!

Wei Yanwu is no coward who can turn Longmen from a dilapidated border town into what it is today. He has never lacked courage when it comes to taking risks!

Aren't they just those people in the imperial court? Let's just do it!

After targeting Longmen for so many years, do you really think he, Wei, is made of clay?

If you're going to cause trouble, then go all out, the bigger the better!

Although the imperial power is indeed strong, and many officials are eyeing it covetously, Wei himself has disciples, former officials, relatives and friends in the Great Yan Dynasty!

"So, what should we do next?"

Although he agreed to the plan to do something big, Wei Yanwu really had no experience in this kind of thing. The most outrageous thing he had ever done in his life was to cause a scene in the court and then give up the throne to venture out into the world on his own... Well, that was pretty outrageous, but it was out of necessity. Now, if he were to do something big that would make the whole Yan Kingdom take notice, he really wouldn't know what to do.

"Next? Next, send the money!"

Lin Lu spread her hands and smiled broadly.

"Pay...pay?"

Wei Yanwu's dragon eyes widened, and he was completely stunned.

what happened?

Didn't we agree that Golden Tree would be handling something big? Why do we need to pay them?

Are we going to hire a bunch of extras?

"Yes, send the money. You know the situation with the Golden Tree. We're poor. Look at such a big tree, how much does it need to eat every day to keep growing? I haven't dared to eat a single one of those pure source stones you usually send over!"

Yes, of course you wouldn't dare eat it; that stuff isn't meant for human consumption!

Wei Yanwu was inwardly grumbling and helpless. It turned out that he had to take the blame and pay money, and there was nothing he could do about it.

What can we do? It's just money, right? We'll spend it!

He, Wei, may not have much else, but he has plenty of money. There's no shortage of money in Longmen!

If all else fails, isn't there always the backup scapegoat, Adams?

That old fellow was going to great lengths to get involved with the Golden Tree in order to prolong his life by a few more days; spending money was a wonderful thing for him!

This isn't about betraying an old friend; it's about creating an opportunity for an old friend!

"Okay, transfer the money. How much do you want?"

"Not much, not much. It's just for show, it won't take much, just... this much."

Lin Lu held up five fingers and shook them.

"..."

Wei Yanwu hesitated for a moment, then tried to guess: "Five hundred pure source stones?"

"No, no, no, five thousand pure source stones, and I guarantee I'll create an unprecedented spectacle for you, the kind that's never been seen before, even more exciting than a natural disaster! Who knows, even the Emperor of Yan might not be able to resist and will personally lead his army here!"

"Sigh~"

Upon hearing this number, even with Wei Yanwu's wealth, he couldn't help but gasp and feel a bit of a toothache.

Five thousand yuan? Isn't that a lot?

He could create an artificial rain of cannons by stuffing five thousand pure source stones into the city defense cannons himself!